AMAKA, half of Nigerian-American R&B duo VanJess, has released her debut solo single, “Cruisin,'” via Venice. According to brooklynvegan.com, the song, a poppy, summer-ready club jam featuring West African-inspired rhythms is produced by Kaytranada, who’s also worked with VanJess and features the producer’s unmistakable synth pulses.
AMAKA says: “Listening to ‘Cruisin’ feels like the aural embodiment of afro-futurism and the adrenaline rush of a spaceship takeoff. I wrote ‘Cruisin’ after the death of the most important person in my life and the most physically and mentally challenging experience of my life to remind myself of my strength, my focus, and most importantly that I can keep going, keep cruising, no matter what comes my way. It certainly holds true now more than ever and I hope to inspire others to never give up and never stop dreaming”.
Jess Nwokike, who first gained a following with her sister Ivana Nwokike by uploading a capella covers to YouTube in the early 2010s, shared in an Instagram post that Ivana will no longer move forward with the pair.
“I see you and know how much you’ve been wanting to hear new music and see more from the both of us,” said Jess.
